City of Bones - Jace's POV
by AvengersPrincess15
Summary: It is exactly what the title says. City of Bones told in Jace's point of view. I apologise if the characters seem out of character or if there are any other mistakes. This is only my interpretation of Jace and his thoughts. I own nothing. Everything belongs to the wonderful Cassandra Clare. Rated T to be safe.
1. Pandemonium

**Pandemonium**

Jace Wayland barely held back a groan of frustration as he, Isabelle and Alec Lightwood entered Pandemonium club. As usual, the club was filled with mundie teenagers swaying back and forth to the hypnotic trance music, clad in leather, oblivious to the danger that surrounded their normal lives.

Dry-ice smoke was swirling effortlessly around the club, filling it up - adding to the euphoric state that seemed to engulf Pandemonium. Bright coloured lights flashed sporadically, momentarily blinding the mundies as they 'danced'.

' _If you can call_ ** _that_** _dancing',_ Jace thought dryly.

He just wanted to find the stupid demon, kill it and return to the Institute to drown his sorrows with weapons training. There's no need to spend extra unnecessary time with the mundanes.

"Over there," Alec warned, his vibrant blue eyes glistening in the light.

Jace glanced to where Alec was looking and saw it. The blue-haired demon, dressed in a red jacket, stroked the razor-sharp blade it carried, smirking as it did. The glamour, the demon put on the blade, was useless against them - more for the benefit of the humans. The demons acid green eyes scanned the crowd, looking for its latest victim, it would seem.

"Bait's in," Alec smirked, only slight worry marring his features, as his sister, Isabelle, lured the demon.

Isabelle did make quite an impression, Jace admitted. Not that he thought of her in any way, other than a sister. Her hair, like Alec's, was charcoal-black and trailed down towards her waist, in a shiny, sleek curtain. She wore a floor-length white dress that covered most of her skin. She donned a ruby-red pendant, around her neck, that seemed to pulse like an erratic heart.

She bunched up her skirt as she backed away from the demon, a mischievous smirk on her face. The demon was so entranced by her that it didn't notice Jace and Alec, following them, as they entered a storage room stating;

 **NO ADMITTANCE - STORAGE.**

Jace almost laughed. It was too easy.

Him and Alec stood outside of the door, Jace pulling out a sharp blade.

"Let the fun begin," he muttered, grinning at the thought of destroying the demon, as he pushed the door open.

They heard Isabelle laugh inside, followed by a victorious;

"He's all yours, boys."

Alec laughed as he hauled the demon upright and threw it against a concrete pillar, avoiding the copper wires that snaked across the floor. He pulled the demon's hands behind it and bound it's wrists together, tightly, with wire.

Jace decided to make his grand appearance as he slid away from the side of the pillar, making himself known to the demon.

"So," he began, "are there any more with you?"

"Any other _what_?", the demon hissed, struggling with its bounds.

He supressed a growl. _Seriously? The thing was trying to lie to him?_ "Come on now," he started, revealing the runes inked onto the skin of his wrists, palms and back of his hands. "You know what I am."

 _"Shadowhunter,"_ it growled, grinding its teeth together.

Alec grinned widely. "Got you."

Jace shoved his hands into his pockets as he studied the demon. Its face was strained with fear and pain... _Good._

"So, you still haven't told me if there are any other of your kind with you," he repeated, growing more and more impatient.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the demon lied.

"He means other demons," Alec started, "you do know what a demon is, don't you?"

Jace stifled a laugh. Of course it knew about demons, being one itself - unless it was seriously stupid, which he was inclined to think.

"Demons," he drawled out, tracing the word in the air for effect. "Religiously defined as hell's denizens, the servants of Satan, but understood here, for the purpose of the Clave, to be any malevolant spirit whose origin is outside our own home dimension-"

"That's enough, Jace," Isabelle groaned.

"Isabelle's right. Nobody here needs a lesson in semantics - or demonology," Alec agreed.

Jace was irritated both Alec and Isabelle interrupted him. Nobody interrupted him while he was dealing with demons.

In retaliation, Jace raised his head while smiling slightly.

"Isabelle and Alec think I talk too much," he stated, confidingly, to the demon, "do _you_ think I talk too much?" He was almost daring the demon to say something out of line.

"I could give you information. I know where Valentine is." The demon said, trying to appease the Shadowhunters.

Jace glanced back towards Alec, who shrugged at him. "Valentine's in the ground. The thing's toying with us," he said.

Isabelle, getting tired, flipped her hair in annoyance. "Kill it, Jace. It's not going to tell us anything."

He raised the translucent blade, which was rather beautiful with the hilt set with crimson stones.

The demon scrambled, trying to find words to stop the fierce blonde boy. "Valentine is back!" He started to struggle against the bonds again. "All the Infernal Worlds know it - I know it - I can tell you where he is-"

Jace felt instant rage, and he only saw red. "By the Angel, every time we capture one of you bastards, you claim to know where Valentine is. Well, we know where he is too. He's in hell. And you-" He twirled the blade in his hands, relishing the demon's tangible fear. "You can _join him there._ "

He was about to run the demon through and be done with it, when a feminine voice rang through the air. "Stop! You can't do this."

Jace span around, startled. The blade flew from his hands and onto the ground. Isabelle and Alec, even the demon, also turned, in confusion and bewilderment, at the spectacle in front of them.

It was a mundane. Rather beautiful, for a mundane, Jace had to admit. She had long, thick, curly red hair, that seemed to quiver with every infinitesimal jerk of her head. She had the most enchanting, deep viridian eyes. She was also fairly small and slender, from what he could tell, and had a very faint spray of freckles spread across her face.

' _What the hell, Wayland?'_ Jace thought to himself, gathering his, usually impeccable, composure.

Alec was the first one to speak. "What's this?" He, all but, demanded, looking from the mundane to the Shadowhunters.

 _'As if we'd know',_ Jace thought irritably.

"It's a girl. Surely you've seen girls before, Alec. Your sister Isabelle is one." He deadpanned, squinting at the small mundane, not believing his eyes. "A mundie girl. And she can see us."

"Of course I can see you. I'm not blind, you know," she retorted, surprising Jace.

"Oh, but you are," he said while bending to pick up the dropped blade. "You'd better get out of here, if you know what's good for you."

He hoped she would accept his advice. Leave quietly. He felt this strange - very foreign - urge to protect the innocent girl from the horrors of the world. He wanted to keep her safe. _Gahh, Wayland, really?! 'To love is to destroy'._

"I'm not going anywhere," the girl said, ignoring Jace's warning, much to his displeasure. "If I do, you'll kill him." She pointed towards the demon.

Poor girl didn't realise he was doing her a favour.

"That's true," Jace admitted, playing with the knife in his hands. "Why do you care if I kill him or not?"

"Be-because-" she stuttered. She clearly hadn't been expecting that question. "You can't just go around killing people."

"You're right," Jace agreed, " you can't go around killing _people_." He pointed at the demon, stressing the word, trying to get it into her head, that the 'boy' she was trying to help, would have no problem draining the life out of her. "That's not a person, little girl. It may look like a person and talk like a person and maybe even bleed like a person. But it's a monster."

 _"Jace,_ that's enough." Isabelle warned.

"You're crazy," the mundane said, slowly backing away. "I've called the police, you know. They'll be here any second."

"She's lying," Alec said, though with a flicker of doubt on his face. Jace, however, was unfazed. "Jace, do you-"

Alec was cut off by a high, screeching cry, as the blue-haired demon tore free of its restraints, and flung itself onto Jace.

He was pushed to the ground with the demon on top, as the demon lashed at him with hands that glittered like metal. He barely noticed the mundane getting tangled in the wires - a bit busy trying not to get killed. The demon sat on Jace's chest, slashing again at him. He instinctively threw an arm up to protect himself, as Alec and Isabelle rushed to his aid - Isabelle bringing her golden whip down onto the demon's back. It yelled in agony and fell to the side.

Jace quickly rolled over, blade in hand, and plunged it deep into the demon's chest. A thick, black substance emerged, around the hilt of the blade, as the demon arched its back, gurgling and writhing. _Hah!_

Jace stood with a grimace on his face. His shirt was stained black, wet with the fresh blood. He strode towards the now-dying demon, yanking the blade out harshly - black liquid dripping from it.

 _Serves you right,_ he thought.

The demon's eyes fluttered open, filled with pure rage. _"So be it. The Forsaken will take you all."_ It hissed, before folding in on itself as Jace snarled at it. Eventually, the demon completely vanished, signalling its death.

Alec had quickly reached Jace and held his arm, pulling the sleeve to get a better look at the wound. They both turned when they heard the familiar crack of Isabelle's whip. The whip had coiled around the Mundie's wrist, tightening when she tried to pull away.

"Stupid little mundie. You could have gotten Jace killed," Isabelle hissed, teeth clenched.

"He's crazy," the mundie stated, struggling against the whip. _Ouch. She cut me... She cut me deep,_ Jace thought sardonically. "You're all crazy. What do you think you are, vigilante killers? The police-"

 _That's enough now..._ "The police aren't usually interested unless you can produce a body," Jace stated. He carefully made his way through the wire-ridden floor, cradling his injured arm - face set in a scowl.

The mundane glanced at the point where the demon had been but kept quiet. Jace internally smirked, knowing there wasn't any evidence of there ever being a 'murder' taking place.

"They return to their home dimensions when they die," he started. "In case you were wondering."

"Jace, be careful," Alec warned.

Never taking his eyes off the mundane, he stated; "She can see us, Alec. She already knows too much."

"So what do you want me to do with her?" Isabelle demanded.

 _She deserves a normal life... Ugh, I better not be going soft._

"Let her go," Jace said quietly.

Isabelle and Alec glanced at him - surprised - before Isabelle, almost angrily, pulled the whip back. It slithered away from the mundane's wrist as she gingerly rubbed the sore mark.

"Maybe we should bring her back with us. I bet Hodge would like to talk to her," Alec contemplated.

"No way are we bringing her to the Institute. She's a _mundie._ " Isabelle deflected, appalled at the idea.

"Or is she?" Jace asked, gently. His head was filled with possible explanations as to why she could see us. Ignorant Downworlder, maybe? Shadowhunter? Mundane with the Sight? He hadn't decided yet.

"Have you had dealings with demons, little girl? Walked with warlocks, talked with the Night Children? Have you-"

"My name is not 'little girl'," she interrupted. "And I have no idea what you're talking about." Jace could practically see the cogs turning in her head, probably debating with herself.

"I don't believe in- in demons, or whatever you-"

"Clary?" An unfamiliar voice intruded. The mundie, _Clary_ , he corrected, span around towards the sound. It was a teenage boy, standing by the storage room door - a muscled bouncer behind him. Jace smothered a laugh. He was the most mundane mundie he'd ever seen. The boy had dark brown, curly hair - glasses perched on the edge of his nose - while he wore jeans and a T-shirt saying; **MADE IN BROOKLYN.**

"Are you okay?" He glanced around. "Why are you in here by yourself? What happened to the guys- you know, the ones with the knives?" The mundane asked, confused.

Clary turned towards the three teenagers. Jace still held the knife, covered in blood and ichor. When she met his tawny eyes, he grinned and offered her a half-apologetic, half-mocking shrug - enjoying the show way too much.

Clary didn't seem shocked that neither the boy nor the bouncer could see them. She slowly turned back to face the other mundane, facing the embarrassment.

"I thought they went in here," she tried to defend. "But I guess they didn't. I'm sorry."

Jace had to bite the inside of his mouth, to keep from laughing at the awkward expression on Clary and the boy. The bouncer's expression just grew to frustration.

"It was a mistake."

Isabelle giggled at the poor lie.

Once Clary and the mundanes had left, Jace, Alec and Isabelle exchanged glances.

"I still think we should've brought her to the Institute," Alec stated.

"Yeah, we all know what you think Alec," Isabelle retorted, still peeved from the encounter with the strange redhead.

"Let's just head back," Jace muttered, suddenly weary.

 ** _This is my first fanfiction so errors may occur. I haven't updated as much as I would like so I'm going to try to find more time to do this. Please feel free to give me constructive criticism if I am doing something wrong or could improve. Let me know what you think. Love you!_**

 _ **~Jess xo**_


	2. Secrets and Lies

**Secrets and Lies**

The cab journey back to Institute was awkward to say the least. Alec and Isabelle kept sneaking glances at an unusually quiet Jace - thinking what might have caused his sudden change in demeanour.

Jace however was indifferent to the curious stares. His mind kept wandering to the mysterious mundane - Clary. Is she really just a mundane, or perhaps something more?

 _I'll find out what soon enough, then hopefully she'll stop plaguing my thoughts._

Before his brain got carried away, the cab driver pulled up to the Institute - which appeared as an old, abandoned church to the average mundane eye. In reality, it was a towering, majestic stone structure with massive spires at seemingly random intervals.

 _Thank you glamours!_

The Institute was built on hallowed ground and is heavily warded to prevent unholy beings - generally demons and vampires - from entering. Glamours were placed upon the building to avoid prying mundie eyes - not that it's particularly needed. Only someone of Shadowhunter blood can open the large double doors of the Institute.

Jace strode towards the weapons room as soon as he entered the massive structure. All he wanted was to sleep off this whole bizarre experience. He placed his seraph blades upon the table, in the centre of the room, and proceeded to clean them of the viscous, black demon ichor.

He placed the blades away and was about to leave when Alec barged in, looking annoyed and dishevelled, with traces of food in his hair.

"Hodge wants to speak with you," he grunted.

"What happened to you?" Jace questioned, amused.

"Isabelle's cooking happened," Alec groaned. "Why she wants to attempt cooking, at 1oclock in the morning, is beyond me, but be warned, I think she poisoned it."

Jace shuddered, remembering the last time they had tried Isabelle's cooking. She may be one of the best female shadowhunters ever, but place her in front of a stove and she'll exterminate the whole New York population.

"Where is Hodge?" Jace asked.

Alec gave him a pointed look. "Where is Hodge _always_ at?"

Jace chuckled. _Should've guessed._

He made his way towards the library that Hodge seems to live in. He gently pushed the doors open. Other than the weapons room and training room, the library was Jace's favourite place. The sheer size and quantity of books never ceased to amaze him. He stopped to admire the cavernous room - the library was circular and tapered to a point - being built in a tower - with bookshelves travelling up so high that ladders, set on casters, were placed along them.

In the middle of the room was Hodge's magnificent desk, carved with a single heavy piece of oak. The wood slab was rested on the backs of two wooden angels, wings gilded - faces engraved with a permanent expression of pain.

His admiration of the room was cut short by Hodge.

"Ah Jace, have a seat."

Hodge Starkweather appeared from the shadows, gesturing to one of the seats in front of his desk. He was a thin, gangly man - hair streaked with grey - with a thick scar on the right side of his face. He was wearing one of his usual tweed suits, despite it being so early in the morning.

 _Does he ever sleep?_

Hodge was a man that spent most of his time learning and reading - a true man of intellect.

"I assume Alec or Isabelle told you what happened at Pandemonium," Jace determined.

"Yes, Alec did, but I wanted to talk about it with you. Alec said that the mundane—"

"Clary," Jace interrupted.

"Yes, Clary. Anyway, he said that she could see you all. Are you sure you used the glamour properly?" Hodge inquired, eyebrows furrowing.

"None of the other mundanes could see us, so yes, we used them properly," Jace retorted, growing slightly frustrated.

"Hmm, maybe some sort of Downworlder" Hodge muttered to himself.

"She seems to have no knowledge of the Shadow World," Jace added.

Hodge seemed to process the situation. "Okay Jace, tomorrow, I want you to find her and bring her in. I want to talk to her."

Jace nodded and slowly walked out of the library. At least tomorrow, he'd be able to solve the enigma that was Clary. And if he didn't? Well, then he'd try harder until he got to the truth. There's nothing like an unfinished mystery to keep you awake at night.

He went into his neat, monk-like bedroom, hopefully being able to catch some sleep before he went out to find Clary.

Jace stripped off his gear and quickly chucked on loose black pyjama bottoms and a white short-sleeved T-shirt. He threw himself onto the bed and under the covers - red hair and green eyes, in his mind, as he drifted off into an oblivion of dreams.

~~~Secrets and Lies~~~

Jace woke a few hours later, mildly refreshed. He quickly dressed in his trademark black clothes and grabbed his blades from the weapons room, before wandering through the Institute.

As he drew closer to the kitchen door he could hear sounds of yelling. Pausing slightly, he pushed the door open.

Alec and Isabelle had been in the middle of an intense debate when Jace came in.

"... is perfectly edible," Isabelle growled, setting a plate of scrambled eggs before Alec.

"Even _Church_ shys away from your food, and _he_ has a stomach of steel. Doesn't that tell you something?" Alec retorted, grimacing at the burnt food in front of him.

Isabelle turned to glare at him.

She was about reply with a string of profanities, when Jace decided to intervene.

"You know Iz, Alec has a point. But if it's any consolation, Alec's cooking isn't much better," he said.

Alec scoffed in disagreement, muttering under his breath.

"Anyway, I'd _love_ to stay and chat, but I have somewhere to be," Jace declared.

This made Alec and Isabelle look up, surprised.

"Since when do _you_ have 'somewhere to be'?" Isabelle jibed. "You never go out, especially not where there's mundanes."

"Since now," Jace grunted.

Isabelle and Alec's words seemed to trip over eachother.

"But-"  
"Where are you-"

"Enough!" Jace interjected. "Hodge gave me a task to do. That's all I'm telling you."

Jace knew that they wouldn't be happy with him bringing Clary to the Institute, especially Isabelle - so he'd decided to keep quiet about it until it was necessary.

Alec and Isabelle looked like they wanted to argue, but said nothing.

Jace sauntered out of the kitchen, relieved.

 _Finally free from the Spanish Inquisition!_

 **I hope you liked this so far. Sorry this chapter is short. Constructive criticism is much appreciated... Tell me if I am doing something wrong please.**

 **Also please check out Cashing In A Promise by** **Brooke Bindon**

 **It's an amazing story so yeah, please read aha. Goodnight, love yaaaa!**

 **-Jess xo**


	3. Shadowhunter

**Shadowhunter**

He left the Institute, after glamouring himself, to start his search for the mysterious Clary. He decided to begin at Pandemonium, where he first met her - hoping that she went there regularly.

He slipped into the club and searched around purposefully, bumping teenagers along the way. She wasn't there.

Jace grumbled to himself, theorising where she could be, as he strode through New York, eyes scanning the street and shops.

In the end, he found Clary through luck. He noticed a head full of wild, red hair next to a lanky, teenage boy with glasses. _Aha, found you._

They walked inside a small cafe called Java Jones, and Jace immediately followed them.

The pair were waiting in line for coffee while Jace sank onto a faded green sofa, watching Clary with hawk eye.

It was then when he heard an awful wailing from the stage, at the front. There was a mundane on it, swaying back and forth with a microphone - eyes screwed shut. He had pink dye on the tips of his hair, and another mundie was behind him, beating irregularly on a djembe - looking seriously stoned.

Jace groaned internally, feeling embarrassed just for watching this.

He soon focussed back onto Clary and the boy, who had now sat down slightly in front of him.

"You're staring at me. Why are you staring at me? Have I got something on my face?" the mundane boy questioned Clary.

Clary seemed to be considering something. "Don't look now, but that blonde girl over there thinks you're cute," she whispered, though Jace could hear her clearly.

A look of disbelief crossed the boy's face. His eyes flickered to where the girl sat, reading a magazine.

"The girl in the orange top?" he asked.

Clary nodded in reply.

"What makes you think so?" he inquired dubiously.

She was about to reply when a burst of feedback filled the room. Jace saw Clary wince and cover her ears.

"Sorry about that guys!" the mundie, on stage, yelled. "All right. I'm Eric, and this is my homeboy Matt on the drums. My first poem is called 'Untitled'."

Jace winced, knowing this would be painful.

"Come my faux juggernaut, my nefarious loins! Slather every protuberance with arid zeal!"

 _And there it is..._

The mundane boy, next to Clary, seemed to shrink into his seat. "Please don't tell anyone I know him."

"Who uses the word 'loins'?" Clary laughed.

 _She has a nice laugh,_ Jace thought. _Wait, what?!_

"Eric," the mundane answered grimly. "All his poems have loins in them."

"Turgid is my torment!" Eric wailed.

T _his 'poem' is my torment._

"Agony swells within!"

"You bet it does," Jace heard Clary remark. "Anyway, about that girl who thinks you're cute—"

"Never mind that for a second," Clary blinked at him in surprise. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Jace stifled his laugh. It's obvious the mundane had feelings about Clary, judging by the lingering glances.

"Furious mole is not a good name for a band," Clary said immediately.

 _She's completely oblivious,_ Jace thought in disbelief. _Is she blind?_

"Not that. It's about what we were talking about before. About me not having a girlfriend," the mundane reminded her.

"Oh. Oh, I don't know. Ask Jaida Jones out," she suggested, shrugging. "She's nice, and she likes you."

"I don't want to ask Jaida Jones out."

 _Well, this should be entertaining_ , Jace thought.

"Why not? You don't like smart girls? Still seeking a 'rockin' bod'?" Clary demanded.

"Neither," the mundane said, through his agitation. "I don't want to ask her out because it wouldn't really be fair to her if I did..." He trailed off.

"Why not?" Clary asked.

"Because I like someone else."

"Okay..." The mundane turned a faint green. "You're not gay, are you?" Clary questioned.

Jace had to cover his mouth with his hand, to keep from laughing out loud. _By the Angel..._

The greenish colour darkened. "If I were, I would dress better."

Jace silently agreed, still holding in laughter.

"So, who is it, then?" Clary asked, thoroughly confused.

Jace couldn't hold it any longer. He coughed, trying to conceal his blatant sniggering.

Clary heard his attempt and turned around to face him.

Her eyes widened significantly as she looked him over. Jace smirked in amusement and triumph.

"What is it?" the boy asked, following her gaze but seeing nothing.

She was still staring at Jace. He smirked at her in amusement and triumph and raised his left hand to wave at her. He then got up and strolled out of the café, knowing she would follow.

He leaned against the wall of an alley and messed around with his Sensor to pass the time. After a minute, he heard the café door open and glanced up in fake surprise.

"You're friend's poetry is terrible," Jace stated randomly.

This caught Clary off guard. "What?"

"I said his poetry was terrible. It sounds like he ate a dictionary and started vomiting up words at random," he clarified.

"I don't care about Eric's poetry. I want to know why you're following me," Clary demanded, furious. _Like a kitten trying to be a tiger._

"Who said I was following you?" Jace asked, feigning innocence.

"Nice try. And you were eavesdropping, too. Do you want to tell me what this is about, or should I just call the police?"

 _This again?_

"And tell them what?" Jace asked witheringly. "That invisible people are bothering you? Trust me, little girl, the police aren't going to arrest someone they can't see."

"I told you before, my name is not 'little girl'. It's Clary," she said, gritting her teeth.

"I know," he informed. "Pretty name. Like the herb, clary sage. In the old days people thought eating the seeds would let you see the Fair Folk. Did you know that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You don't know much, do you?" he asked condescendingly. "You seem to be a mundane like any other mundane, yet you can see me. It's a conundrum."

 _A rather annoying one..._

"What's a mundane?" Clary asked, puzzled.

"Someone of the human world. Someone like you."

"But _you're_ human," she argued.

"I am," Jace allowed. "But I'm not like you."

He didn't care whether she believed him or not; he just wanted to get her to the Institute.

"You think you're better. That's why you were laughing at us," Clary decided.

"I was laughing at you because declarations of love amuse me, especially when unrequited," he began. "And because your Simon is one of the most mundane mundanes I've ever encountered. And because Hodge thought you might be dangerous."

 _That's a funny thought_

"But if you are, you certainly don't know it."

" _I'm_ dangerous?" She queried, an incredulous expression on her face. "I saw you kill someone last night. I saw you drive a knife up under his ribs, and-". She cut herself off, probably remembering the injuries that Jace had received, seeing his skin now unmarked.

"I may be a killer, but I know what I am. Can you say the same?"

 _Probably not._

"I'm an ordinary human being, just like you said. Who's Hodge?" She questioned.

"My tutor. And I wouldn't be so quick to brand myself as ordinary, if I were you." He remarked, leaning forward slightly. "Let me see your right hand."

"My right hand?" Clary echoed. Jace nodded. "If I show you my hand, will you leave me alone?"

"Certainly," he drawled in amusement, the lie rolling off his tongue, effortlessly.

She held her right hand out to him, albeit reluctantly. He took her hand, which looked pale in the half-light of the alley, freckles faintly dusted over the knuckles, and couldn't help but notice how small and delicate it was. _Artist'_ s _hands._

Disappointment washed over him, when he saw nothing on it.

"Nothing," he muttered. "You're not left-handed, are you?"

"No, why?"

Jace shrugged, releasing her hands in the process. "Most Shadowhunter children get Marked on their right hands - or left, if they're left-handed like I am - when they're still young. It's a permanent rune that lends an extra skill with weapons."

Jace showed Clary the back of his left hand.

She furrowed her eyebrows, in confusion. "I don't see anything."

"Let your mind relax. Wait for it to come to you. Like waiting for something to rise to the surface of water," he suggested.

"You're crazy," she murmured. But Jace noticed that, despite her words, she was relaxing, staring at his hand until she blinked in surprise. _Bingo._

"A tattoo?"

Jace smiled, a tad bit smug, and let his hand fall down to his side. "I thought you could do it. And it's not a tattoo - it's a Mark. They're runes, burned into our skin."

"They make you handle weapons better?" She asked, dubiously.

"Different Marks do different things. Some are permanent but the majority vanish when they've been used up," he replied.

"That's why your arms aren't all inked up today? Even when I concentrate?"

 _Fast learner..._

"That's exactly why." He was pleased with himself, for being able to teach her something about his world. _But is it her world too?_

"I knew you had the Sight, at least." He glanced up, seeing the sky darkening, knowing Hodge would want him to bring her back soon. "It's nearly full dark. We should go."

" _We?_ I thought you were going to leave me alone."

"I lied," Jace admitted bluntly, not embarrassed in the least. "Hodge said I have to bring you to the Institute with me. He wants to talk to you."

"Why would he want to talk to me?" Clary inquired.

"Because you know the truth now. There hasn't been a mundane who knew about us for at least a hundred years."

"About _us?"_ She mimicked. _"_ You mean people like you. People who believe in demons."

"People who kill them," he clarified. "We're called Shadowhunters. At least, that's what we call ourselves. The Downworlders have less complimentary names for us."

"Downworlders?"

"The Night Children. Warlocks. The Fey. The magical folk of this dimension," he informed her.

Clary shook her head, seeming overwhelmed. "Don't stop there. I suppose there are also, what, vampires and werewolves and zombies?"

"Of course there are," Jace responded. "Although you mostly find zombies further South, where the _voudun_ priests are."

"What about mummies? Do they only hang around Egypt?"

Jace scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. No one believes in mummies."

"They don't?"

Jace internally sighed, impatience grating on him. "Of course not. Look, Hodge will explain all this to you when you see him."

"What if I don't want to see him?" Clary challenged, crossing her arms in a sign of defiance.

 _Challenge accepted..._

"That's your problem. You can come either willingly or unwillingly."

She looked taken aback, eyes widening. "Are you threatening to _kidnap_ me?"

 _Well..._ "If you want to look at it that way," he started. "Yes."

She was about to retort with what, Jace assumed, was going to be a string of profanities, when a loud buzzing noise, from her phone, interupted her.

"Go ahead and answer that if you like." _Because I'm a nice person._

The phone stopped ringing, only to start up again, shrill and insistent. He noticed that Clary frowned, wondering what caused her to have that expression. She quickly rummaged through her bag until she found her phone, on it's third set of rings. She slightly turned away from Jace, holding the phone up to her ear to answer it. "Mom?"

 _Ahh, the worried parent,_ Jace realised.

He could hear that her mother was panicked, but not the words she said.

"It's all right, Mom. I'm fine. I'm on my way home-"

She was suddenly cut off. He saw Clary getting more and more anxious. _What is going on?_

"Mom!" Clary shouted into the phone. "Mom, are you all right?"

She listened to the frantic yells of her mother. Jace slowly edged towards her.

" _Who's_ found you? Mom, did you call the police? Did you-"

Clary's face morphed into one of horror. " _Mom!_ " She shrieked. "Mom, are you there?"

"Clary." Jace realising that it was the first time he had ever said her name, and liking the way it sounded. _Not the time..._

"What's going on?"

She just ignored him, feverishly tapping on her phone. Her hands had begun to shake and the phone slipped out of her hands, clattering onto the pavement. She dropped to her knees, to pick up the phone, seeing a long crack across the front.

"Dammit!" She cursed, throwing her phone down.

"Stop that," Jace ordered, hauling her to her feet, hands gripping her small wrists. "Has something happened?"

"Give me your phone," she demanded, grabbing his Sensor from his shirt pocket. "I have to-"

"It's not a phone," he told her. "It's a Sensor. You won't be able to use it."

"But I need to call the police!"

"Tell me what happened first," he said, holding her in place as she tried to yank herself out of his grip. "I can _help_ you."

He noticed her whole demeanour changed as her anger rose up. She lashed out and struck Jace's face, her nails raking across his cheek. He quickly jerked back, more in surprise than pain, and hid into the shadows as she ran off.


	4. Ravener

**Ravener**

Jace debated whether or not he should go after Clary. He decided that it would be better to keep an eye on her since Hodge still wanted to speak with her. Yeah, that was the only reason. He wasn't worried about her or anything - of course not.

He stepped out of the shadows of the alley, trying to see which way she went, catching sight of the redhead turning a corner. He swiftly took off after her, far enough that she wouldn't notice him but close enough to make sure she was safe.

She got held up a DON'T WALK sign, bouncing on the balls of her feet. He could see that she was attempting to use the Sensor like a phone, realisation and confusion seeping in on her face as she tried to figure out what it actually was.

Once she could cross the road, she ran up a street where, he assumed, her house was. Clary jogged up to the door, and hastened inside. Jace decided to wait outside, seeing the second-floor windows were lit, not wanting to get involved in something that may just be family drama. Or having to explain to Clary's mother why there was a stranger in their house.

After five minutes of debating the best way to capture and kill a _Du'sien_ demon, he heard a piercing shriek emanating from her house. He hurriedly made his way into the house, to the second floor, noting the door was slightly ajar. Cautiously, Jace pushed the door open, his eyes drawn to the mess of the apartment. Cushions lay scattered on the floor, ripped lengthways, soft cotton innards pouring out. Bookshelves had been tipped over. He didn't stop long enough to assess the rest of the damage.

"Clary?" He called out, softly. No answer.

Jace carefully wandered around the apartment, halting upon hearing a noise from one of the bedrooms. He peered into the room to see Clary, on the floor, unconscious in a pool of blood, with a _Ravener_ demon virtually on top of her, choking whilst shaking uncontrollably.

He quickly pulled out a Seraph blade. " _Ambriel_ ," he muttered. He drew his arm back, approaching the demon, preparing to kill it when it vanished completely. _She killed it._

He didn't have time to marvel at the prospect, but felt tinges of pride trickling through. He knelt down next to her, examining the back of her neck, which had been stung by the _Ravener._ He worriedly glanced at the growing pool of blood, carefully takinf her in his arms, before hearing police sirens outside. _Time to go._

Jace carried Clary, bridal-style outside, setting her down on a patch of grass, behind a bunch of rose bushes. He started to tear some pieces of cloth that he had grabbed on the way out, looking at Clary every so often.

He was still tearing up cloth when he heard her gag, and saw that she was slowly opening her eyes.

"Don't move," he warned her, while smothering a type of salve onto a strip of cloth which would ease the pain on her neck.

Clary moved her head to the side, once hearing sirens, pain flashing across her face as she did so. Jace internally sighed. _Of course, she wouldn't listen..._

She then tried to sit up, gagging again, fingers gripping into the damp earth.

"I told you not to move," he hissed at her. "The _Ravener_ demon got you in the back of the neck. It was half-dead so it wasn't much of a sting, but we still have to get you to the Institute. Hold still."

"That thing-the monster-it _talked._ " She started shuddering.

"You've heard a demon talk before," he reminded her, gently slipping the strip of cloth under her neck and tying it.

"The demon in Pandemonium - it looked like a person."

"It was an _Eidolon_ demon. A shape-changer. _Raveners_ look like the look. Not very attractive, but they're too stupid to care."

"It said it was going to eat me," she whimpered, her voice almost inaudible.

Jace felt a wave of anger and _protectiveness?_ Course through him.

"But it didn't. You killed it", he told her, a tinge of pride to his words.

Clary's pain in her neck seemed to have diminished as she hauled herself into an upright position. "The police are here," she croaked out. "We should-"

"There's nothing they can do. Somebody probably heard you screaming and reported it. Ten to one those aren't real police officers. Demons have a way of hiding their tracks."

"My mom," Clary managed to force out.

Jace sighed. "There's _Ravener_ poison coursing through your veins right now. You'll be dead in an hour if you don't come with me." He swiftly got to his feet and held a hand out to her. She eyed it before taking it, letting him pull her up. "Come on."

Clary seemed to sway and he slid an arm across her back to hold her still. "Can you walk?"

"I think so," she replied. She looked through the blooming bushes, towards where the police were and gaped. Jace followed her line of sight and saw what she was seeing. A seemingly normal female 'police officer' held up a flashlight, only her hands were fleshless - skeleton hands. Nothing Jace hadn't seen before. "Her hand-" Clary choked out.

"I told you they might be demons." He glanced around the back of the house. "We have to get out of here. Can we go through the alley?"

"It's bricked up," she told him, shaking her head. "There's no way-" Her words were halted by a violent coughing fit. She raised her hand to cover her mouth, raising it to see her palm stained red. She whimpered softly.

Jace noticed this with well-concealed worry and quickly grabbed her wrist, turning it over to show her inner arm. Clary's knees buckled under the strain. He pulled out his Stele and tightened his grip when she tried to wriggle away. He drew a _Mendelin_ rune on her arm, temporarily hiding her from sight. It looked like a set of overlapping, black circles.

"What's that supposed to do?"

"It'll hide you, temporarily." He slid his Stele back into his belt and caught Clary staring at it in confusion. "My Stele," he answered her unasked question.

She seemed to have trouble staying upright. "Jace," she murmured weakly, crumpling into his body. He caught her easily, and swung her up, bridal-style, much like he did inside.

"I'm breaking Covenant law, you know." Clary tipped her head back to look at him, but it didn't seem like she heard what he said. She slowly closed her eyes, seeming unconscious.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ravener ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jace hurriedly caught a cab to get her back to the Institute. The cab driver gave him a number of weird looks, probably because it looked like he was holding an invisible person.

 _Of course not_ , he thought sarcastically. _That would be ridiculous._

He took this time to just look at Clary. Her brilliant red hair, her fair complexion which, admittedly, looked very pale at that moment, the vibrant green eyes he knew was underneath her closed lids.

 _By the Angel, I'm getting soft..._

Soon enough the Institute was in view. He paid the driver and rushed to get her inside. He briskly went to the elevator to take her up to the Infirmary, when Hodge, Alec and Isabelle came into view. _Oh crap..._

"Ah, Jace, I was wondering where you-" Hodge himself off upon seeing an unconscious, dying Clary. "What in the name of Raziel?! What happened?!" He thundered.

Jace swallowed thickly. "Uh, she had a run in with a _Ravener_ demon in her house... She killed it."

The three of them stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

Alec was the first to dismiss his words. "That _mundane_ ," he spat the word in distaste, "couldn't have possibly killed a demon."

"Alec, as much as I would love to argue with you, I think I should probably get her," he nodded at Clary, "to the Infirmary."

Hodge nodded in agreement. "But we _will_ be talking about this Jace." His tone left no room for argument.

He promptly took Clary into the Infirmary and led her on the nearest bed, Hodge immediately preparing a remedy to halt the demon poisoning.

Jace stood awkwardly in the center of the room, not knowing what to do. "Is there anything I can do, Hodge?"

"No, that'll be all, thank you."

He nodded and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Alec and Isabelle came to approach him but he simply held up his hand, not wanting to be lectured about recklessness or something along those lines, and sauntered off towards his bedroom.

As he led in bed that night, he decided that he wouldn't visit her during the next few days. The others would get suspicious of his behaviour, especially towards, what they suspected, a mundane. Ignoring her presence may also help him get her out of his head, for once.

 _Yeah, like that's gonna happen, Wayland..._

 _ **What did you guys think? Loved it? Hated it? Please let me know.**_

 _ **Love you guys**_  
 _ **-Jess xo**_


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